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Both!

“Do you want the regular rice, or the mixed rice?” Both! Yesterday I went to a newly found, immediately loved, hole in the wall restaurant in Dallas. If you didn’t know it was there, you would never know! It was my second trip & I walked in greeting the owner as if we had been old friends for years. Samad was serving a customer lunch and I noticed a beautifully colored rice on the plate. I asked Sam about it and he described it sumptuously! I informed him I couldn’t have any meat dishes because of fasting and just wanted rice with grilled tomatoes. He asked me the question above, to which I answered, both! Each rice was awesome. They had a common bond being both Basmati rice with the richest of saffron seasonings from Sam’s hometown in Iran.

Today I had left overs. While warming my food a friend offered me her left over fresh, homegrown, tomatoes. Of course…..I couldn’t resist. While eating lunch I was reading from “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” and the chapter was Both! How ironic that I then looked at my plate and saw warm, grilled tomatoes beside fresh home-grown tomatoes and my mix of special rice.

The correlation reminded me of how different our thinking can be. Let’s explore! In our economy, like my rice, there is a common bond. Money! Many people are building businesses, that like the Kaufman family during the Great Depression, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallingwater ) will prosper, while other people lose their jobs or live in fear daily of doing so. There are many thoughts revolving around the subject of wealth thinking. Depending on your net worth, wealth thinking education, or perception, you can almost predict what will be said when the subject comes up. I am no expert, but I follow the experts as an attempt to gain their wisdom, knowledge and best practices. I have made the choice to not merely survive, but to thrive in this economy bringing many people with me. Being a Sanguine, it isn’t fun being at the top alone you know!

I really want to reference something else from my experience which I am destined to enlighten people on. Ministry or Money? My answer is still “Both”. I have been involved in active ministry since 1984 in some capacity. In 2007 I resigned a position as the Singles Director. Many people were shocked and the conversations were extremely controversial. Well….needless to say, my decision stood. You see, I had been mentoring with men/women that lived the lifestyle I wanted to emulate. In order for me to create a laser focus, I looked at my life and saw the “busyness” which produced nothing. Not that ministry is nothing, but I don’t confuse activity with productivity. God specifically instructed me to lay aside the singles ministry. Some may say & believe me they did say, that is unrealistic. I have learned that when He instructs me to do something it is because He has something greater He has prepared me to do. Knowing to obey Him, not man, is better than to sacrifice, I obeyed.

From 2007 til today I can honestly say I am enjoying life in a measure I only dreamed possible. Ministry? I didn’t give up anything! I was “promoted” into a higher calling. In the Singles Ministry I was devoted to leadership development. I believed in multiplication and this fell in line with my pastor’s vision as well. ( http://www.theoaksonline.org/members–attenders/red-oak-fellowship/ ) You see in my biz we offer hope to a nation that is staring at hope with a blank, empty stare. When you can form healthy relationships with people who have none, it is win-win. In case you haven’t noticed with the #1 cause of divorce being related to finances, our current economy is wreaking havoc on marriages. Let’s say, I talk to someone about a biz idea. This person is interested, yet has already been scouting apartments to move into, apart from her husband. Husband has increased his drinking because what he is currently doing to provide for his family isn’t working. Suddenly a biz idea offers a spark of financial hope, but what they didn’t realize is through a training system created by men & women that once walked in their path, they can see a spark of hope to restore their marriage. Where is the church in this matter? Who knows? They haven’t been going. Suddenly through the very same training system, they discuss getting back in church, together. While the wife listens to stories mirroring her life, the husband is reading a book on “God Wants You To Be Rich” and BOTH are becoming educated on what is possible. Possible not only for their marriage, family, but for others as well. Who knew ministry & money would be such a balm of Gilead? Remember the leadership development part that I was so passionate about? Do you think our nation will change with 1 million leaders laser focused on God first, Family second, Biz third? Do you think our nation will change when the divorce rate is decreased because husbands & wives renew vows to love, honor and respect each other? Do you think our nation will change when free enterprise is embraced creating the principles our nation was founded on? Do you think our nation will change when men stop creating kids and begin raising families? If your answer is YES….welcome to my world! Multiplication duplicated in a completely different realm & dimension!

See following men / women with BOTH ministry & biz mindsets have truly paid off. Who said I couldn’t do both? People who are not courageous enough to try themselves. Sorry if this is strong, but just like Nehemiah, I had to leave the plane of “ONO” to go rebuild the wall. I have been armed with “tools” in one hand & “weapons” in the other. BOTH hands are busy restoring the breach. Because I have been laser focused by educating myself on wealth thinking principles, ministries I have desired to support are becoming a reality. I am multiplying my resources by BOTH securing financial freedom for myself & providing freedom to the captives. BOTH of us will rejoice & be glad!

Can you do what you love and experience true wealth too? Absolutely under one condition……you have to ask yourself how to do BOTH instead of compromising.

I challenge you today to take an inventory of your current status in life. Live life out loud, in color, on purpose continually & constantly asking how to have the best of BOTH worlds, Ministry & Money.